THOMPSON, MB, Nov. 28, 2023 /CNW/ - The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and Thompson Regional Airport Authority (TRAA), announce financial close on a $52 million investment towards the redevelopment of Thompson Regional Airport. The airport is a hub providing essential passenger and cargo services to communities in northern Manitoba and western Nunavut.
Located six kilometres northwest of the City of Thompson, the redevelopment of the Thompson Regional Airport includes:
- the replacement of the air terminal building, which is sinking into the discontinuous permafrost;
- non-airside-related infrastructure, including extension of sewer lines from new terminal to expanded lagoon, parking lots and service roads; and
- airside-related infrastructure, including new apron and taxiways, and expansion of existing apron and related infrastructure.
Following project completion, the airport will continue supporting long-term access to critical goods and services, including retail trade, medical, social, educational and fire suppression. The project also ensures the airport's operational safety as well as supporting the region's critical mineral mining opportunities, growing cargo and passenger travel needs.
Absent CIB financing and other government support, the existing airport terminal building would eventually be made inoperable due to climate change.
The airport serves as a regional catchment area for 37 northern communities which includes many First Nations – 15 of which are accessible only by air and the ice road – serving a market area population of approximately 65,000 people.
The redevelopment of the Thompson Regional Airport is being financed through the CIB's Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative, which lends to projects delivering a direct bene?t to Indigenous communities.
